NHS and impossible questions!

[tunainatin]

Hopefully you can see the attached. I have an appointment at a breasht clinic and this is on the form I need to fill in. After several reads I'm still a bit puzzled - I have a PhD, some people attending will have low literacy/English as a 2nd language. I presume all they need to know is that I have breasts? They could check what pronouns I use so they make sure they don't offend me? I work for the NHS and feel furious that such ridiculousness has found its way into paperwork like this, making it even more difficult for some people to access services.

There are various things that are relevant to breast cancer screening and treatment that could affect people that have had some sort of gender treatment. But they're quite varied, each have different implications, and can also affect people who have had medical or surgical treatment for other things.

So they do need to ask some questions. But they should be easy to understand and give specific, useful answers. 'Have you had any previous breast surgery? If so was it enlargement, reduction, other (please specify)'; 'Have you had any treatment with hormones or hormone blockers? (If so, please specify)'.

Not that nonsense, which doesn't actually give useful information even if people manage to answer it.

That's so sweet! Glad he was ok.

Exactly, and I'm certainly not suggesting that someone who is transgender should be disadvantaged, but it could be entirely dealt with by asking sensible questions!

Wait what?

Could you anonymously forward it to the Health Secretary and your MP assuming it is England? And the Equalities Minister as, as you say it is potentially making it harder for vulnerable people (mainly women) to access services.

I would share it with 'Sex Matters' as a minimum https://sex-matters.org/

FYI, today there are many reasons patients attend breast clinics. Men get breast lumps, breast problems and breast cancer; so do women and trans. It's increasingly common for women to have had implants; or mastectomies; for a variety of reason, not all cosmetic. BRCA genes, for example. Prostate cancer hormone treatments can promote unwanted breast developent in men.

But that question would elicit the same tick if you had taken cross sex hormones and had breast augmentation as if you just decided to start doing more washing up or had take a pay cut (assuming that's that a 'gender role' is?)

I agree to send it to Sex Matters. That sentence is utter noodle.

So what? Doesn’t make that gobbledygook any easier to understand!

Yes, @2bazookas, we know those things. Nobody here is saying people, whoever they may be, should not get the care they need.

However, that form in the original post is nonsense and is therefore very hard to understand and answer. It's a basic rule of compiling such forms that you only ask one question at a time, no matter what you are asking about. That form asks 2 questions together - how could anyone accurately answer them?

Others have covered the gender woo stuff on it, so I won't.

English is my second language but I’d say that after writing an MSc in English and spending 25 years in the U.K., it’s pretty good…

I cannot understand that question.
I understand the words, where it’s heading but not the question itself tbh.

Gender role? Like, who does the ironing snd who mows the lawn?

What has that got to do with health care?

Who on earth wrote that?

Whoever it was, the NHS needs to locate them and pry the bottle out of their hands.

Luckily I've got a good grasp of the English language and am also well versed with the trans vocabulary. So I understand what they are trying to ask.

But in a general setting for the average person that question is just gobbledygook.

Why are they making it so difficult for so many to access healthcare? Just why?

Gender roles are socially, culturally, and historically constructed. Gender roles and stereotypes oppress women. They have NO place in medical treatment, unless it’s psychological therapy.

What a bullshit question.

'Gender role'?

Well, that's complicated. I would need to get someone to explain to me what a gender role is.

If you're not transgender then this question isn't relevant to you so just ignore it.

That would be fair enough if it was a clear question that gave useful information. Instead you are suggesting we ignore gobbledegook nonsense when we come across it.

That attitude benefits no-one. All forms used to get health information from the public should use straightforward English.

Thanks for the suggestions of where to send this, I will follow up on those.

The only things i can think of, that would warrant the question , is to find out if the patient has had oestrogen stopped, or started, or had their breasts removed for the lols.

If reminds me of the statistical abnormalities resulting from the last census where there is “apparently” a far far higher proportion of transgender Muslim people than the uk average, particularly living in certain areas of London (far far higher than those living in areas like Brighton known for its lgbt community)…..utterly reflecting the language barrier issues rather than truthful,accurate stats. Clear language in health literature is hugely important to avoid excluding those with literacy challenges or language barriers.

They are collecting the info along with age, marital status etc. Medical issues would be discussed in the consultation I think.

Breast tissue is removed for a number of reasons, if they specifically want to know this information they should ask that.

I'd have had real trouble resisting the temptation to say I hadn't played Monopoly for ages, and I usually avoid buying the utilities even when I do.

Id be asking if they could please explain, with examples, what gender roles are.